Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (E0-05)
by GVJ
Summary: This is the fifth of 13 TV serial teleplays that re-imagines The Phantom Menace as a TV serial. The reader will note some spelling changes to some of the names (notably Quigon has been re-imagined as a more Chinese style name - Quigong and Jedi has been made more phonetic as Jeddai). There are a number of other changes to the setting.


TITLE CARD: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop for the main title, followed by a roll up, which crawls up into infinity.

 **SERIES 0 THE PHANTOM MENACE**

The planet of Naboo is besieged by interstellar pirates.

With little hope for success, its embattled King, Rajesh Amidala has charged his daughter with seeking aid from Naboo's native people, the Gunguns.

Accompanied by Jeddai Knight Quigong Jin, his Padawan Obiwan Kenobi, and servant Jarjar Binks, Padmé has embarked on a voyage into the unknown.

Elsewhere in the Galaxy, dark forces move in the shadows cast by more festive events…

 **EPISODE 0.5 Marathon**

EXT. TATOOINE – HEGO DAMASK II'S ESTATE (ESTABLISHING)

A line of land speeders sits in the oval drive yard that lies between the estate's outer walls and its manor house's front doors. A chase speeder laden with alien mercenaries sits in the vanguard position. Behind it is Hego's box-shaped armored speeder. Another mercenary-laden chase speeder sits directly behind it.

PAN TO where the line of vehicles takes a ninety degree turn around the edge of the house. A blocky tractor speeder sits at the building's corner with Anakin's Pod-Racer suspended by a half dozen bolts of coruscating purple lightning emanating from a pair of metallic booms that extend from the back of the tractor's cab. This vehicle is also followed by a chase speeder carrying mercenaries.

PAN BACK to the steps leading up to the manor's front doors which are yawning open. Nine figures exit the building into the sunlight.

ZOOM IN on the figures so that we can see Hego, Watto, Shmi, Anakin, C-3PO, the white-skinned woman with raven-black hair, a teenaged girl with red hair that resembles her, and two Magnaguard droids pause at the top of the stairway.

HEGO: (to Anakin) You understand the parameters of the race, do you not boy?

ANAKIN: (his excited voice is colored with a tinge of surliness) Of course. It's a twelve-hour endurance race. Everyone has to complete twelve four-hundred mile long laps across desert plains, through canyons, and into caverns. It's not going to be a problem.

Also, my name's Anakin.

This pronouncement draws a look of displeasure from Hego and surprised looks from everyone else except the white-skinned teenager.

WATTO: (trying to disarm his master's temper) Heh, heh, I think what Little Ani means is that after today everyone is going to know his name.

Afterall, humans don't have the reflexes for Pod-Racing.

HEGO: (frowning darkly) Does your droid understand his role?

C-3PO: Of course Master Hego. I will carry Master Anakin's standard in the procession of banners prior to the race.

The banker gives a grunt of approval and then nods towards the tractor hauling the Pod-Racer.

HEGO: (to Anakin) Secure your droid and then sit in the transport with your mother.

ANAKIN: (turning on his heel and striding away) Come on 3PO.

SHMI: (bowing to the banker) My apologies Master Damask.

Hego ignores her words and waves her towards the transport.

WHITE-SKINNED GIRL: Will the boy be able to win.

HEGO: (chuckling) No AURRA (SING). It's the boy's first race. I am rather confident that he will finish it. At the very least he will survive.

Hego steps closer to the girl and grasps her chin in an affectionate, almost-fatherly manner.

HEGO: That's something that even you couldn't do, hmmm?

WOMAN: (touching the girl's shoulder) Come daughter, we mustn't delay the Master Damask.

AURRA SING: Yes mother.

HEGO: (to ESTHASIA SING) Esthasia, after we depart, contact the star port. I must return to Coruscant on the morrow. Instruct them to have the ship ready for an early departure.

ESTHASIA: It will be done my lord.

HEGO: (smiling with self-satisfaction) You've been an excellent consort these many years. Remain here and watch over the household. My task on Coruscant will not keep me overly long. We will return to Muunilist after I return here.

Esthasia responds with a brief nod and sweeping her arm around her daughter's shoulders, she and Aurra return to the manor's interior.

HEGO: (to Watto) Have the remaining arrangements been made?

WATTO: Yes my Lord. Gardulla has granted you and your party the use of an observation tower that is less than a mile from the course's demarcation line. It should provide an excellent view of the start of the race, lap marking, and the finish.

HEGO: (nodding) Very well. Let's depart.

Flanked by the Magnaguard droids, Hego and Watto descend the manor's exterior steps to the waiting transport.

CUT TO SPACE – ABOVE TATOOINE

Darth Maul's sinister black starship jumps out of hyperspace.

CUT TO Darth Maul sitting at the vessel's controls. The Dathomirian Sith Lord gazes down at the bright brownish-white desert world below him. He turns to a display on the right side of the cockpit's control panel and touches several buttons. The display lights up and shows him a picture of Hego Damask II's compound. Maul touches another button and the display renders a course from orbit to the planet's surface. We can presume that the compound is at or near the landing site his flight computer has chosen. Maul turns back to the ship's controls and engages its engines.

CUT TO the exterior of the ship. It engines light up with a sickly green and it begins its descent from orbit.

PAN with the Sith starship as it descends through the atmosphere. After only a brief period of time it is flying above the desert landscape. It skirts a large city, which we recognize as Mos Espa and after a few more moments selects an empty salt flat to land on.

A broad ramp descends from the back of the craft and wide door slides open. Darth Maul, once again cloaked with a black robe descends down the ramp on a round-bodied speeder bike. He is accompanied by two spherical speeder droids. He gives the droids an inaudible command and the three split up.

WIPE (to next scene)

WIPE IN (EXT. NABOO – GRASSY HILLS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY)

Jojo Fett is watching her Mandalorian war machine slowly crush the Naboo defensive lines ringing the city from the open copula of a hover tank.

ANGLE ON the city of Theed. We can see several squadrons of hover tanks and a huge body of Mandalorian soldiers pressing into the city's edges. In the foreground a lone Mandalorian soldier is running towards Jojo's tank.

PAN with the soldier as he nears the tank.

ZOOM IN on Jojo as she enters the camera's frame.

JOJO: (to tank commander) Lieutenant, is there a problem with the battlefield comms?

TANK COMMANDER: We just noticed it my lord. Comms are down.

RUNNING SOLDIER: My Lord! My Lord! Report my Lord! Communications with the fleet and among units has been lost.

JOJO: (to the soldier) Assemble a dozen more runners! All units are to fall back from the city until communications have been restored!

SOLDIER: As you command my Lord!

The Mandalorian soldier turns and runs back towards the front lines.

JOJO: (to tank commander) Lieutenant, take us back to the base camp.

TANK COMMANDER: Yes my lord.

ZOOM OUT as the hover tank makes a wide sweeping u-turn and heads back into the rolling hills that surround Naboo's capitol city.

ZOOM IN AND ANGLE ON Jojo as she climbs back down into the tank and closes the copula hatch. Once inside the vehicle's cramped confines she turns to a Mandalorian soldier in the back of the vehicle.

JOJO: Specialist, what's happening with my comms?

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST: (sounding mystified) There were operating perfectly just a few minutes ago and now all frequencies are dead. I can't even raise the base camp.

We're being jammed somehow.

JOJO: (looking up at the vehicle's ceiling) Another starship.

The tank's entire crew looks at her with astonished postures (their helmets otherwise masking the emotion).

TANK COMMANDER: But our intelligence said that the Naboo only had two frigate-class vessels and a dozen corvettes.

JOJO: (with a grim voice) A Republican battleship has arrived.

An uncomfortable silence descends over the vehicle as Jojo considers the implications.

JOJO: (to the Tank Commander) Hand me your macro-binoculars.

TANK COMMANDER: (offering her the desired implement) Yes my Lord.

My Lord, we'll be arriving at the base camp presently.

JOJO: (climbing back up the copula) Very good Lieutenant.

Jojo opens the hatch and settles back into the observation position above the Tank Commander. She raises the macro-binoculars to her helmet's eye coverings and raises her head to view the sky far above.

ANGLE ON the sky as seen through the binoculars. High above we can see the tell-tale red and green flashes of an ongoing space battle.

ANGLE ON the Mandalorian base camp as Jojo pulls the binoculars away from her faceplate. Several armored soldiers are running towards the tank.

SERGEANT: My Lord, we've lost communications with all units.

ANGLE ON Jojo as climbs up out of the tank's copula.

JOJO: (to the sergeant) I'm aware of that Sergeant. Prepare my dropship. I'm returning to the battle group. Brigadier Galinor is to assume command here in my absence. The division is to ring the city and dig in. For the time being it will be sufficient to pen the population in.

SERGEANT: As you command my Lord!

The Mandalorian commander effortlessly vaults down to the ground from the hovertank's copula as the Sergeant begins barking orders to the other Mandalorians in the camp. Jojo strides towards one of the large round-edged rectangular dropships that look like streamlined boxes. Sensing that the timbre of the battle is changing, Mandalorian soldiers move to and fro within the camp with an increasing sense of urgency.

Jojo boards the large spacecraft and proceeds through its empty troop bays by means of a catwalk before finally arriving at a hatch leading to the vessel's cockpit.

PILOT: (turning to acknowledge Jojo) My Lord.

The copilot sitting next to him opts to incline his head in a bow.

JOJO: Lift off at once Captain. I must return to my command ship.

PILOT: (turning back to the ship's controls) Yes my Lord.

(into the dropship's intercom) All hands secure for lift off in sixty seconds.

Jojo straps herself into one of the cockpit's jump seats as the dropship's pilot and copilot busy themselves flipping switches and turning dials on the vessel's control panel. The cockpit shudders as the engines roar to life. After several seconds various members of the dropship crew begin reporting in over the intercom.

DROPSHIP CREWPERSON #1: (over the intercom) Bridge, armory, small arms locker secure.

DROPSHIP CREWPERSON #2: (over the intercom) Bridge, transpo, bay doors secure.

DROPSHIP CREWPERSON #3: (over the intercom) Bridge, engineering, all secure.

DROPSHIP CREWPERSON #4: (over the intercom) Bridge, gunnery, section secure.

COPILOT: (to the pilot) All sections report secure Captain.

PILOT: (to the copilot) Pre-flight checks?

COPILOT: (checking several panels) All systems operating normally. Ready for lift-off.

PILOT: Call it.

COPILOT: (glancing at a digital readout) Fifteen seconds.

PILOT: Bringing the engines to full power now.

COPILOT: Eleven seconds.

PILOT: (into the intercom) Weapons hot.

CREWMAN #4: (over the intercom) Bridge, gunnery, weapons hot aye sir.

COPILOT: Four seconds.

PILOT: (levering the engines' throttle open) Lift off.

ANGLE ON the view through the cockpit windows from Jojo's perspective. The dropship leaps into the sky and for a brief moment we can see Theed, its edges burning, in the distance. Then as the spacecraft vaults higher it also begins to race forward. The pilots quickly bring it into a tight banking turn that spirals higher into the sky. The pilot continues to open up the throttle until they are racing higher and higher up into the clouds. And after a few more seconds they clear the planet's atmosphere and emerge into the black backdrop of space.

Ahead of them the Mandalorian fleet has engaged in battle with a lone battlecruiser in the red and white livery of the Grand Republic. While smaller than Jojo's dreadnought the battlecruiser is still a long spindle-shaped behemoth.

COPILOT: Heavy fire zone ahead.

PILOT: (noting that the Republic battlecruiser has assumed a position next to one of the Mandalorian cruisers) What're the Republicans doing?

JOJO: They mean to board the Bloodfeast.

(then in an almost shocked voice) It's the Republican cruiser from Somov Rit. The Corpsetearer and Ravener have been lost.

PILOT: That's impossible. A lone battlecruiser shouldn't be able to take out two cruisers waiting in ambush.

JOJO: (saying it like it's a curse) Jeddai…

CUT (to next scene)

INT. MANDALORIAN CRUISER – CORRIDOR

Mandalorian soldiers are assuming positions throughout the corridor in an effort to defend the airlock that the Republican battlecruiser has locked onto. There are several loud thunking noises as the airlock's exterior door is penetrated.

The Mandalorians coldly ready their blasters and then, to their surprise the center of the airlock hatch is pierced by four lightsaber blades. Two of the blades are green, one yellow-white, and one aqua-colored. The shining beam swords rotate slightly and then cut towards the hatch's four opposing corners. Once there, the weapons' wielder rotates them counter-clockwise, cutting a circular furrow through the wall housing the inner hatch.

The Mandalorian's look on as the weapons come to a stop. The four severed sections of hatch seem to hover in place for a moment before they explode inward, hurled by the Force. The heavy chunks of metal crash down the corridor disrupting the Mandalorian defense. SIDON ITHANO, a four-armed Kalesh Jeddai Knight is already darting to and fro through the corridor in the wake of the destroyed hatch.

The corridor begins to fill with blaster bolts and smoke as the Mandalorians try to kill the lightning fast Jeddai. But Sidon is too quick for them and in moments the Mandalorians are forced to fall back into their ship. Red and gold uniformed Republican marines follow in Sidon's wake. They quickly advance to fill the void left by the Jeddai Knight's passage. They carefully fire around and past Sidon, picking and choosing their shots as the Mandalorian resistance continues to ebb.

ANGLE ON a second wave of marines coming through the destroyed airlock. The marines distribute themselves down side corridors to prevent their fellows from being outflanked. Their lead elements follow in the wake of Sidon and the first wave of marines.

They finally catch up to the Jeddai Knight at corridor juncture. Sidon is standing in the haze, seemingly catching his breath. His light sabers rest at low guard. As the marine's get closer we can see through the haze that the reptilian Jeddai Knight has an almost contemplative look on his face.

MARINE SERGEANT: What is it General Ithano?

SIDON: I sense that their pirate leader has returned to their fleet.

SERGEANT: Do they mean to scuttle this ship as well?

SIDON: (looking up in alarm) No, she means to turn their guns on this ship.

(to the sergeant and other marines) Pull everyone back to the Paladin.

Almost as quickly and orderly as they invaded the raider ship, the Republican marines retreat back to their own ship. Jeddai Knight and General Sidon Ithano is the last to leave, triggering a heavy blast door in the corridor leading up to the destroyed airlock to forestall any concentrated effort by the raiders to mount a counter-boarding action.

SIDON: (into the ship's intercom) Captain, this is Sidon. Disengage from the enemy cruiser and prepare to fall back.

REPUBLICAN CAPTAIN: (over the intercom) Yes General Ithano!

SERGEANT: What do we do now sir?

SIDON: Now Sergeant? Now we must change our tactics. The enemy commander will not let us get close enough to force another boarding action without more ships. And we shouldn't return to Coruscant without an eyewitness account of what is happening on the planet below.

(into intercom) Captain, fire a full broadside of turbo lasers into the enemy cruiser as we disengage. That should provide cover from the rest of their fleet as we retreat.

CAPTAIN: (over the intercom) Aye General. Direction of retreat?

SIDON: (into the intercom) Orbit the planet. I want to put it between them and us.

CAPTAIN: (over the intercom) Aye sir.

WIPE (to next scene)

WIPE IN (EXT. NABOO – UNDERGROUND RIVER)

A small manta ray-shaped submarine with a long propeller is making its way through a water-filled tunnel. A dim light emanates from the vessel's canopy showing us the shadowy figures of four people inside.

ZOOM IN on the submarine's cockpit where we see Obiwan at the controls. Jarjar is seated next to him and seems to be navigating. Behind them sit Quigong and Padmé.

ZOOM IN on Padmé until we are inside the cockpit with them.

PADMÉ: (sound fading in) …this underground river was intended to supply a trading port that would let us trade goods with the Gunguns. But the differences between our peoples have mostly prevented it from being used very much.

OBIWAN: That would explain why no one ever speaks of it. Or even knows of it.

QUIGONG: You're assuming too much my young Padawan. Don't allow the urgency of the situation to cloud your senses.

Obiwan spares a glance towards Jarjar and then, unwilling to crane his head any further, gives his master a darting look with his eyes.

OBIWAN: (turning his head back forward) You've used this passage yourself.

QUIGONG: Your feelings do you credit.

(pausing to reminisce for a second before continuing) Yes, I wasn't much older than you are now when I used these passages. It was a different matter altogether of course.

PADMÉ: Is that how Jarjar came to be in your service?

QUIGONG: Eventually.

(changing the subject) How does your Highness plan to proceed once we reach Otah Gunga?

Padmé ignores the Jeddai Knight's question and instead focuses on the alien landscape that is coming into view as their submersible craft emerges from the underground river and into the ocean waters that fill the bay below the castle's cliffside walls. In the dim light shed from the vessel's canopy we see numerous rocky outcroppings. Farther beyond them swim schools of bioluminescent fish. Free of the tunnel's confines, Obiwan guides the submersible deeper into the seawater at Jarjar's direction.

OBIWAN: Your Highness, I'm also curious about your plan.

PADMÉ: I think you Jeddai already know. We must convince Boss Nash that these raiders are threat to the Gunguns too.

Jarjar, what do you think is going to be the best way to convince the great Boss?

JARJAR: (looking downbeat) Meesa nottin bein shura. Meesa nottin bein backin toosah Otah Gungah ina alongo timin.

PADMÉ: Even so, you must remember something about the Boss. He's been the leader of your people for decades.

JARJAR: Meesa fraidin nottin. Meesa bin banisheded alongo timin agoh. Meesa fraidin meesa gonnah payin ahigho pricin forsah comin backin. Biggah Bosso Nashah, heesa noa gonnah likin dis.

OBIWAN: Banished?

PADMÉ: Why were you banished Jarjar?

JARJAR: Issa alongo telloh.

OBIWAN: (drolly) We seem to have time.

PADMÉ: And it may provide us insights that will help us with Boss Nash.

JARJAR: Wellin, youssa mightin bein sayin thassa meesa bein inda wrongo placin adda wrongo timin.

OBIWAN: That seems pretty cryptic.

QUIGONG: (speaking softly) It has to do with the test I faced to become a Jeddai Knight. In the ancient days, when humans first colonized Naboo the Gungun people were led by a group of powerful Force users. They called themselves the Order of Grenn and, they used the Dark Side of the Force to control the minds of their people.

OBIWAN: Is this why a Jeddai Knight has always been assigned to Naboo.

QUIGONG: (smiling at his apprentice's correct insights) In my time the Order of Grenn had resurged. They reclaimed the sight of their ancient temple, a ruin in the swamps east of Galmorrow.

OBIWAN: So that's why everyone in Theed believes that abandoned village and the lands around it to be cursed?

QUIGONG: (chuckling) Do you want to tell it?

OBIWAN: The leader of the Order enslaved the village's inhabitants, didn't they?

QUIGONG: Yes that's right.

PADMÉ: And Count Du Ku sent you to free the villagers.

QUIGONG: Princess, your insights are nearly as great as my Padawan's. If your father had allowed it, you would have made a great Jeddai Knight.

PADMÉ: But I'm an only child. Without me the royal house of Amidala will not continue.

QUIGONG: It is as you say. _Count_ Du Ku had not accepted a position on the King's council as one of Naboo's nobility. But he had at that time found himself in a position similar to your own, the last scion of a great house. And so he sent me to deal with the Grenn.

(chuckling at memories) I was so young and ignorant back then. When I arrived in the swamps I confronted the head priest straight away and nearly payed for my arrogance with my life.

It was Jarjar who ended up saving me.

PADMÉ: How?

QUIGONG: Human villagers weren't the only ones the Grenn had enslaved. They had enslaved several of their own people. Jarjar was a hunter that Boss Nash had sent to get them back.

He found me wandering the swamp, wounded from my encounter with the Grenn, and nursed me back to health.

OBIWAN: Wait, I don't understand, if Jarjar was working for Boss Nash, how did he get banished.

The submarine fills with quiet.

QUIGONG: (speaking carefully) Well…, that's really a story that only Jarjar can share. I will say that one of the most troubling aspects of our societies and maybe of civilization in general is how overly much they cling to their normative perceptions.

PADMÉ: Oh, I see what you mean. Culture is often seen as something that works at the group social level but it's really a psychological phenomenon. More individual and idiosyncratic.

Obiwan glances back that the princess and opens his mouth as though he is about to say something but the words die in his throat as the submersible suddenly jerks to a hard stop.

ANGLE ON the ship's exterior as seen from Padmé's perspective. An enormous pair of jaws have closed around the vessel's left manta-like wing.

JARJAR: (giving a startled scream) Goobah fish. Biggoh goobah fish. Weessa surrin sinkin nowsah.

QUIGONG: (touching Jarjar's shoulder) Relax my friend. Everything will be all right.

JARJAR: (turning to give the Jeddai an incredulous look) Allsah righto!? Meesa thinkin weessa bouta bein crunchin! Wassa allsah righto bouta dat?

Next to Jarjar, Obiwan struggles with the craft's controls in an attempt to free it.

QUIGONG: (to Jarjar) The Princess Jarjar. If something happens, you must protect the Princess. Obiwan and I can look after ourselves but at this depth you're the only one who can protect her.

Padmé puts her hand on the Gungun's other shoulder and gives him a pleading look. Jarjar meets her gaze and an ashamed look briefly crosses his features before he calms down.

OBIWAN: (still struggling with the controls) Don't undersell the situation. I think Jarjar might be right.

The craft is suddenly jarred.

ZOOM OUT to see the massive eel-like goober fish release the submersible from its suddenly slackening jaws. As the camera continues to zoom out it is revealed that an even larger undersea monstrosity has grasped the goober fish in its jaws. As Obiwan pilots the submersible away from the two behemoths, the new creature brings one of its clawed forelimbs up to grasp the goober fish's skull and, with a vigorous shake of its head, separates the goober fish's head from its body.

ZOOM IN on the figures in the submersibles cockpit as Obiwan pilots it into the opening of an undersea cave. Padmé and Jarjar are both staring back at the gruesome scene in astonishment. Quigong is making a studied display of watching his Padawan's piloting than paying attention to his fellow passengers or the scene behind them, almost as though he had expected the event all along.

QUIGONG: (clamly) There, you see? There's always a bigger fish.

Obiwan, take the left tunnel four miles ahead of us. That will take us to Otah Gunga by the fastest route.

Everyone eases back into their seats and some of the tension drains away.

OBIWAN: Master, I wasn't able to sense the fish's attack ahead of time.

QUIGONG: Remember that the Force extends and sharpens our senses. It isn't a replacement for them. Down here we must be wary.

OBIWAN: Yes, but that doesn't explain why I didn't sense the danger.

QUIGONG: Naboo is a world rich with the Force. It permeates everything here to a greater extent than it does in many other worlds. Its native lifeforms have evolved to take advantage of it in primitive ways. Some of those lifeforms have even evolved to use it to mask their presence.

OBIWAN: I see.

The group settles into silence as Obiwan banks the submersible into the left tunnel.

ZOOM OUT to see the submarine enter the smaller side tunnel and WIPE (to next scene).

WIPE IN (INT. GALATIC SENATE BUILDING – CHACELLOR VALORUM'S OFFICE)

Jeddai Masters Windu and Yoda are seated in front of Chancellor Valorum's desk. Senators Antilles, Azaxus, Organa, and Palpatine are seated to the right of the Jeddai. The Jeddai have brought news of the recent battle over Naboo.

MACE: (sound fading in) …General Ithano reports that he engaged a substantial fleet consisting of five capitol ships and over a dozen escorts above Naboo. Based on signal traffic they intercepted from the ground it seems as though these raiders have already landed ground forces which appear to be division-size in strength. The Naboo are badly outnumbered.

ORGANA: We must get the Senate to approve a relief force.

PALPATINE: I agree your eminence. Naboo is my homeworld. I cannot sit idly by and let it suffer. If you were to advance an executive order now I would filibuster until the legislative body approves it.

AZAXUS: Unfortunately my friend, we simply don't have the numbers for your filibuster to be successful.

VALORUM: Our hands are effectively tied until the military measures make it out of committee.

PALPATINE: (bitterly) Then we will do nothing while the people I represent suffer.

ANTILLES: What we need is something to force the matter.

VALORUM: What we need is an eyewitness account.

(to Mace) Master Windu, please contact General Ithano and instruct him to evacuate as many witnesses as he can from the warzone.

YODA: Exposed this will leave the planet. Delay them, Ithano can, but only if remain he does.

MACE: (to Palpatine) Senator Palpatine do you think the Naboo Royal Security forces will be able to hold out for another four days if we recall the General's battlecruiser?

PALPATINE: No, I'm afraid that our defense forces are much too small for that. We have less than two battalions of soldiers. And you've just reported that they face an entire division.

MACE: How long could they hold out?

PALPATINE: Two days, perhaps three if they forfeit the city and fortify the palace.

ANTILLES: We must move more swiftly.

MACE: What if the Jeddai were to directly bolster the Naboo's ground forces?

YODA: To affect the outcome too few we are.

MACE: (to Yoda) Maybe not.

(to Palpatine) I will gather what Jeddai I can and lead them to aid of the Naboo.

PALPATINE: I thank you Master Windu but surely you couldn't gather much more than a dozen Jeddai Knights. Can they really do much more than a single Jeddai could?

VALORUM: Without an army to back them up it would be a suicide mission.

MACE: Chancellor, the correct military term is "forlorn hope". And if you can get the Senate to approve military force then we needn't defeat the raiders, we only need to extend the amount of time that the Naboo can hold out. A small force of Jeddai Knights might be able to accomplish that task.

ANTILLES: (nodding in appreciation) A lost troop action. It just might give us the time we need.

VALORUM: Very well Master Windu. Deploy your Jeddai Knights but instruct General Ithano that he must get an eyewitness out of the system so that the Senate can learn what is happening firsthand.

(to everyone assembled) Gentlemen, this meeting stands adjourned. Thank you all. And may the Force be with you.

WIPE (to next scene) as they all rise from their seats.

WIPE IN (EXT. TATOOINE – GATES TO HEGO DAMASK'S ESTATE)

Darth Maul has parked his speeder bike to the side of the gravely flats in front of the gate and stands before them. Alerted to his presence a Magnaguard droid peers over the wall at him.

The Sith Lord takes his lightsaber from out of his robes, ignites it, and leaps up to the top of the wall. The guard droid quickly reacts and swipes at him with its force staff as he reaches the catwalk that crowns the wall. Maul twists in mid-air to avoid the droid's attack and is already in the process of counter-attacking by the time his feet touch the catwalk.

Maul and the droid duel for a length fourteen bouts, each attacking and counter-attacking multiple times. Finally Maul uses the Force to push one of the droid's feet out from under it. He attacks it as it stumbles but it twists the stumble into a controlled fall from the top of the wall. Impressed, Maul sneers at the machine's ingenuity before following it down into the estate's secluded driveway.

Once on the ground the Sith Lord presses his attack but it takes him three more bouts before he is finally able to destroy the Magnaguard.

MAUL: (pausing after his accomplishment) Impressive for a droid.

He looks up to see five more droids and a handful of mercenaries armed with blasters closing in on him. Giving a wolfish smile he Force leaps into the fray as the alarmed mercenaries begin firing wildly at him. Maul quickly dispatches the blaster bearing humanoids. In the process he is able to disable one droid and damage a second with deflected laser bolts. The three remaining undamaged droids set upon him as a group.

CUT TO Esthasia Sing as she watches the fight through the barred window to the right of the building's front door. Startled by the violence outside, her daughter Aurra clings to her side.

AURRA: (watching Maul fight with all three droids at the same time) Mother, will he make it inside.

ESTHASIA: Don't worry precious. We're perfectly safe in here.

CUT TO Maul fighting with the three Magnaguard droids. He uses the Force to push one of them into its companion but, the second droid reacts with lightning fast reflexes and ducks under the first droid. The droid Maul has flung with the Force rolls over the second droid's back as it scrabbles forward, thrusting with its force stave. The Sith Lord catches the thrust with his lightsaber and pushes the weapon into position to block the third droid's overhead strike. The three weapons are bound together for a brief moment.

Maul takes one of his hands off of his lightsaber's hilt and makes a crushing motion with it.

CUT TO closer-up of the three bound weapons. We see the Force crush the two force staves together permanently entangling the weapons.

CUT BACK TO Maul as he takes a half step back, disengages his own weapon, and quickly bisects the two droids at the waist as they try to pull their weapons apart. The Sith Lord quickly moves in to finish the badly damaged droids off with a look of malevolent glee painted across his face.

ANGLE ON Maul's point of view as he turns towards the last two droids. Anticipating his Force push the final undamaged droid hurls its force staff at him like a spear at the same time Maul flings it back towards its damaged companion. The damaged droid is not able to move completely out of the way and the two droids recoil back.

CUT TO Esthasia and Aurra as they hear the thunderous sound of the droids slamming into the mansion's front door. There is a brief moment when scrambling noises are heard as the droids on the other side of the door try to right themselves but no sooner do we hear that than a force stave bursts through the door in the position that the noises were coming from.

There is a moment of silence as the mother and daughter stand surprised. Then a spark snaps from the still glowing end of the force stave and it dies.

AURRA: Mother…

Esthasia and Aurra retreat from the manion's front door and take a small hallway emerge in a large dining room with great glass panels that look out onto the estate's spacious courtyard. Outside we see a number of Hego's slaves busy at work with various menial chores.

Esthasia kneels down before her daughter and touches one of the panels causing it to noiselessly withdraw into the floor.

ESTHASIA: (leaning close to Aurra) Aurra, listen to me. I want you to run out and climb over the east wall. Run to Mos Espa and hide yourself. And don't ever come back here.

AURRA: (almost crying) But mother.

ESTHASIA: (rising to her feet) Obey me.

Aurra silently nods her head and gives her mother a last teary-eyed hug before bolting into the courtyard. Behind Esthasia, Darth Maul has entered the dining space. Esthasia rises to her feet and begins to quickly walk towards a square box resting on a small table against the wall farthest from the Sith Lord.

Maul wolfishly grins as he realizes that she believes that she might be able to work against him if she reaches the box. He extends one hand and grips her breath with the Force. Esthasia drops to her knees as she begins to strangle.

CUT TO Aurra as she bolts through the courtyard past more than a dozen slaves. As she reaches the wall she looks back

ANGLE ON the courtyard as seen from Aurra's point of view. The tall girl sees the mystified looks on the faces of the slaves. She focuses past them on the house and makes out the form of Maul attacking her mother who lies helplessly on the floor.

ANGLE ON Aurra as she takes a step as though she means to return return to the house.

ANGLE ON the mansion as Maul emerges, burning lightsaber in hand and begins to survey the slaves like a wolf who has entered a sheep pen.

ANGLE ON Aurra as she turns and scrambles up the wall. Behind her we can hear the faint sound of Maul's lightsaber humming and the awful screams of the slaves as he begins to slaughter them. As she reaches the top of the wall Aurra glances back for a second.

ANGLE ON the courtyard below as seen from Aurra's point of view. Maul is already cutting a swath of death through the helpless slaves.

ANGLE ON Aurra as she leaps down onto the sandy ground outside the estate's walls. She rolls as she hits to avoid breaking any bones. She comes out of her roll running and this time she simply runs for all she's worth and never looks back.

CUT TO Maul as he dispatches the last of the slaves. Turning towards the wall he looks in the direction the girl as fled. He pauses for a moment as though considering whether or not he should pursue her but he instead returns to the house where we find a badly mauled Esthasia still trying to crawl over to the box.

She is missing her feet, her right hand and almost her entire left arm from the Sith Lord's attack.

MAUL: You really want to warn your master, don't you?

She turns to look back at Maul with terror etched across her features. The Sith Lord deactivates his weapon and returns it to its place within his black robes.

MAUL: (crossing the room to her) Why don't you tell me where he is?

WIPE (to next scene)

WIPE IN (EXT. TATOOINE – GARDULLA'S RACE COURSE)

Hego, Shmi, Watto, and two Magnaguard droids are climbing into a disc shaped observation platform which rises to the top of a squat tower. In the background the race's two-headed announcer is making the opening remarks for the spectacle.

ZOOM IN on Hego who suddenly frowns, touches his chest, and seems to take a slight step back towards tower wall behind him.

WATTO: (noticing the odd behavior) Is everything alright Master Damask?

HEGO: (still frowning) Yes Watto, everything is fine.

From her posture we can see that Shmi has also noticed the banker's odd behavior but the slave woman chooses to hold herself aloof from them and remains silent. Her attention remains on something nearby.

ANGLE ON the rest of the race course's start line as seen from Shmi's point of view. We see a sweeping stadium like affair with massive bleachers holding tens of thousands of people representing all manners of species. A pair of thick towers back each of the bleachers and serve as anchors for a long bridge-like arch that contains twelve oval lap markers.

ZOOM IN on the procession of Jet-Pod-Racers slowly wends its way from a set of massive stone buildings that stand behind the bleachers on the right. Each unique looking racer is led by a protocol droid bearing a banner that dances in the dry wind sweeping across the broad flat that serves as the race's start line. Above them, from the tower backing the bleachers on the left the two-headed announcer begins commenting on the racer's themselves.

CUT TO the announcer in the booth.

FODE: In the pole position we have Aldar Beedo of Ploo II. This is Beedo's fifteenth race and his first time in the pole position. Of his fifteen previous races he's only placed twice.

BODE: But he's killed four other racers and caused twelve accidents. Yes Fode, it kind of begs the question of who did he kill and which hands did he bribe to reach the pole position.

FODE: Indeed Bode. If I were in Ratts Tyerell of Aleena's number two position I'd be keeping a careful watch on my neighbors.

BODE: I completely agree Fode. How a straight shooter like Ratts ends up sandwiched between an assassin like Aldar and a bully like Sebulba of Malastare we can only speculate.

FODE: And as the races proceeds you can be assured that we will.

CUT TO the procession of racers. The announcers continue to discuss the race participants as the racers slowly begin to fall into their start positions.

BODE: (in the background) Rounding out the lead positions is Mawhonic.

FODE: (in the background) Yes, the five time winner from Hok will be racing his lime green GPE-3130. He's the odds on favorite but with pilots like Aldar and Sebulba out there it's any being's race.

PAN through the procession until we find Anakin Skywalker near the very end of the line. The still unplated C-3PO, his endo-skeleton and wiring exposed to the elements, is leading Anakin and his slim racing pod bearing a banner decorated with blue and white stripes.

C-3PO: (calling back as they assume their pole position) Good luck Master Anakin.

BODE: (in the background) Behind the lead positions we have Dud Bolt who at one hundred seventy-two is probably our most experienced racer out there.

ANAKIN: Thanks C-3PO. I'll see you in half a day. Stay by the transports after the flag ceremony.

FODE: (in the background) You say experienced but, I say geriatric. We'll see if he can continue his string of losses.

C-3PO: (moving to fall into line with the other droids) Yes Master Anakin.

BODE: (in the background) Hope the old Vulptereen has his tusks firmly attached for this one.

CUT TO Dud Bolt who has removed a massive set of dentures from his snout causing his face to sag like an elephant truck shaped like a crocodile's mouth. Dud makes a show of cleaning the dentures with an oily rag before putting the fake teeth back into his mouth.

CUT TO the crowd who are wildly cheering even as some of them look sick from the sight.

FODE: (in the background) Oh that's foul.

BODE: (in the background) Next up is Ben Quadrinaros who'll be flying his patented four-engine racer.

FODE: (in the background) Yes, he's hoping to make up for in quantity what he lacks in quality. Those pustile engines look like they could barely haul my grandmother to the grocery store let alone actually win a race.

BODE: (in the background) Next to him is Clegg Holdfast.

CUT TO the well-dressed Nosaurian as he formally bows to the crowds in the stands. As impossible as it seems the acknowledgement drives the crowd even wilder and the adulation drowns out the announcers discussion of Clegg and his neighbor.

BODE: (in the background as the crowd's applause begins to subside) And if you thought Clegg was the only aristocrat in today's race, rounding out the second row is Ebe E. Endocott, Countess Endocott of Triffis.

FODE: (in the background) You've got to wonder if there's any bad blood between the Countess and Baron Holdfast.

A small riot breaks out among disagreeing fans in the bleachers.

BODE: (in the background) If the crowd's any evidence, I'd say there is.

CUT TO C-3PO as he winds through the slowly accumulating pod-racers with the other droids in the flag ceremony's procession.

FODE: (in the background) Reaching the middle line we have Gasgano, a Xexto from Troikan.

BODE: (in the background) She's another old hand in the racing circuit. This will be her seventeeth Boonta Eve Classic. Here's hoping she can finally place better than sixth.

FODE: (in the background) In the center of the pack we Boles Roor of Sneeve and Teemto Pagalies from Moonus Mandel. This is their eighth and ninth Boonta Eve Classics respectively.

BODE: (in the background) Rounding out the middle rank we have local favorite Ody Mandrell and his world famous pit crew.

CUT TO a collection of squat, rusty-colored, one-eyed service droids. They are running around Ody's racer in a comical display of disarray. One of the droids notices C-3PO and walks up to him as the procession of banners makes its way past Ody's pod. The little droid sends a string of rapid chirps at C-3PO.

C-3PO: Naked? What do you mean my parts are showing? I certainly won't slog off.

Dissatisfied with C-3PO's responses the tiny mechanic droid marches right up to the procession and kicks C-3PO in the ankle before racing back to the safety of its mates. For his part C-3PO bears the indignity of the insult with complete stoicism.

FODE: (in the background) Well something certainly got his pit crew worked up.

BODE: (in the background) Local rivalry with the back rank?

PAN across the fourth row of racers as Fode names them. The crowd is still cheering wildly.

FODE: (in the background) Possibly.

(continues without missing a beat) Leading the fourth row we have Elan Mak from Ploo IV, Mars Guo of Phu, Ark "Bumpy" Roose of Sump, and Neva Kee from Xagobah.

BODE: (in the background) And the back rank we have Wan Sandage from Ord Radama, Sibrian Kant of Arcadia XII, and a pair of late entries.

ZOOM IN on Anakin as he disconnects a fuel hose from his pod and runs it back to the wall.

FODE: (in the background) Looks like one of them's another local boy. A human, Anakin Skywalker. It'll be an achievement if he's still alive in twelve hours.

CUT TO Fode and Bode in the announcer's booth.

BODE: And in the dreaded last position a total unknown, Xelbree.

FODE: Wait is that it? Is that all you got?

BODE: They didn't even list what system this guy, gal, person-thing is from.

FODE: Well, that's just uncooperative of them.

BODE: The racers are assuming their ready positions.

CUT TO Anakin nestling himself into his seat.

CUT BACK TO the annoncers' box.

FODE: I see some activity in the owner's box now. Her august majesty Gardulla the Hutt has arrived.

Fode and Bode raise their hands and simultaneously let out an ululation of respect to the Hutt.

CUT TO the owner's box where Gardulla, flanked by Jabba and her offspring slithers out to the edge of the box.

BODE: (in the background) I think she's about to signal the start of the race.

CUT TO the race's start line where a trio of green lights begins to signal the racers one after another. At the instigation of the first light, the roaring sounds of their engines fills the air and drowns out the announcers' banter for a moment.

ZOOM OUT to a wider perspective of the racers in their start positions. Their pods begin to buck and hop in place as the second light activates.

CUT TO Gardulla as she takes a squirming frog-like creature from a liquid-filled bowl next to her place, bites the creature's head off, and spits it at a gong.

GARDULLA: (gong still ringing) Dopeha bu raca!

[subtitle] Start the race!

CUT TO the wide angle of the racers as the final start light activates. They surge forward in a huge mass. Anakin's pod pushes forward a small amount but then stalls.

PAN with them as they head into the desert.

BODE: (in the background) It looks like Mawhonic is taking an early lead. Aldar and Sebulba are wrestling for the number two position. Looks like it's going to be a very interesting race.

FODE: (in the background) Looks like not everyone made it off the start line.

CUT TO the start line where we see Ben Quadrinaros' four-engined racer hasn't moved at all and seems to be stuck in idle. Behind him and closer to the center of the track is Anakin's racer.

ZOOM IN on Anakin as he works on the pods controls.

BODE: (in the background) Looks like the little local boy's toy racer has stalled out.

FODE: (in the background) Well at least he traveled a dozen yards. Quadrinaros hasn't even budged.

ANGLE ON the pod's controls as seen from Anakin's perspective. The boy tries the starter a couple of more times before finally cycling the machine's fuel intermix.

CUT TO the observation tower where Shmi and Watto both worriedly watch Anakin's unmoving pod. Hego appears unmoved by the problem or at least refuses to let the stoic blankness of his face by altered by the situation.

CUT TO Ben Quadrinaros who is beating on his pods controls, either in a savage effort to get them to operate or in frustration from not knowing what is wrong with his vehicle. As we watch the power coupling linking his four engines together flickers and then vanishes and the still idling engines launch themselves in four different directions.

BEN QUADRINAROS: (as his now engineless pod settles to the ground) Kark!

BODE: (in the background) Ooooo, there goes Quadrinaros' power coupling.

CUT TO Anakin who is trying his starter again. This time the engines restart and the boy is able to move the vehicle forward at a steadily quickening acceleration.

FODE: (in the background) It looks like the local boy is off after all.

PAN with Anakin as he races out into the desert, the announcers' voices left far behind.

FADE TO end credits.


End file.
